Spanish Traditional Ballads/Romances Viejos Españoles

First published in the early 16th century, these Spanish romances are the counterpart of the narrative ballads sung and recited in other parts of Europe in the middle ages. The 53 realistic, verse narratives recall the lives of kings and holy men, extol Charlemagne, and exalt Helen of Troy, Lancelot, and others. A dual-language anthology.

Description: Similar to England's Arthurian legends and old Norse sagas, Spanish romances were written and published before the end of the sixteenth century. This collection of 53 romances focuses on Spanish history, national legends, and Moorish themes; ballads of Charlemagne and his peers, tales derived from French chansons de geste (epics of chivalry and other courtly narratives); and miscellaneous ballads based on Greco-Roman subjects. A dual-language anthology, with excellent new literal translations on pages facing the Spanish original, the volume provides students and scholars--for perhaps the first time in English--much previously unavailable material, and will be invaluable for classroom use and home study. Dover Original. Introduction, new English translation, and notes by Stanley Appelbaum.

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